New Research Posts

The Physical Therapy department at Armstrong Atlantic State University conducted a Randomised Clinical Trial using static magnets on myofascial trigger point pain. The 2004 study was part of the student capstone project and supervised by professors of the physical therapy department. Although the study wasn’t published, the results were presented at the Bioelectromagnetics Society annual meeting.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) passes an unimpeded magnetic field through the scalp and skull.

The action on the brain is caused by electromagnetic induction, which is basically creating electrical activity within a very specific part of the brain through a changing magnetic field.

The magnetic field has been optimised for the therapy and the dose given to a precise part of the brain.

This article will also discuss tSMS or Transcranial Static Magnetic Field Stimulation.

Research has found it to be as effective as anti-depressants and that’s even with patients who did not respond to anti-depressant medication.

Transcranial, meaning through the cranium (or skull) with magnetic fields into the brain, is where the term Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is derived. Sometimes known as repetitive rTMS, it directs strong magnetic field pulses into specific parts of the brain to stimulate a response. For instance, the prefrontal cortex is a target to treat depression. The magnetic treatment has been approved in many countries such as the United States for the treatment of medication resistant depression. However in countries such as Australia, it has yet to receive access to Medicare funding. TMS is an emerging field with many therapeutic applications and a growing list of conditions such as anxiety, PTSD and OCD.

An Italian study using neodymium magnets sewn into textile supports worn 2-8 hours/day for 4 months has shown significant benefits over and above placebo. The 48 subjects enrolled in the study suffered from osteoarthritis or osteoporosis and were assessed for pain perception at 2 and 4 months after commencing the trial.

The perception of pain was significantly reduced in the active group (36% reduction) and increased in the placebo group (3.4% increase) (p<0.001). In addition, there was an improvement in the quality of sleep in patients with osteoarticular pain.

DISCLAIMER:
The type of magnet used is this study is not a Q magnet.
The safety and effectiveness of Q magnets has not been established in the treatment of erosive gastritis.

Every week, new research is published strengthening the claim that static magnets can be optimised for therapeutic effects. While the magnetic device used in this study is not a Q magnet, the multipolar arrangement does exhibit similar properties.

Researchers at Semmelweis University (Budapest) conducted a randomised, double blind placebo-controlled trial to investigate the effects of a multipolar static magnet device on symptoms related to erosive gastritis. The same magnetic array has previously been shown to have an analgesic effect on mice and increased the pain threshold in humans (see references below).

The principle reason for this magnetic revolution in medicine is science. That is, by testing, validating and refining the optimisation process. Innovation produces more effective technologies and their commercialisation improves the lives of patients. Magnetism in medicine has the added advantage of its non-invasive nature with few side-effects and relatively low-cost. Unfortunately, most people’s concept of magnetic therapy is bipolar magnets in underlays and magnetic jewellery, however these are just a diversion to the real innovation.